


Five Times the Sons Go Out to Meet Santa and One They Stay In

by MahoganyDoodles



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Christmas, Comfort, F/M, Family Dynamics, Fluff, Grief, Visiting Santa, santa, well Piccolo is still a Namekian but you catch my drift
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:35:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21956749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MahoganyDoodles/pseuds/MahoganyDoodles
Summary: If there's one thing that's constant for the Sons over the years, it's going to see Santa and the grumpy elf that works there.Secret Santa Chiccolo One-Shot for PickleandtheQueen.
Relationships: Chi-Chi/Piccolo (Dragon Ball), Chi-Chi/Son Goku (Dragon Ball)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 38





	Five Times the Sons Go Out to Meet Santa and One They Stay In

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PickleandtheQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PickleandtheQueen/gifts).



> This work was written as a rarepair Secret Santa submission for [PickleandtheQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PickleandtheQueen/pseuds/PickleandtheQueen) who asked for Chiccolo with the prompts cold, cuddle, or mistletoe! Many thanks to all the folks in Speakeasy, and especially [bitchytimemachine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bitchytimemachine/works) for organizing and hosting.
> 
> Find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/MahoganyDoodles) and Discord under the same name!

❄️

**The First Time**

The first time she sees him, Gohan is seven and had just _begged_ her to go see Santa. They had gone every year before, but last year the Santa’s Village near them had held a last hurrah, closing their doors permanently. It had been their good luck to have even _had_ somewhere to go visit Santa so close, as far out into the mountains as they had been, and so Chi-Chi thought last year would be the last time she would bring her baby to see Saint Nick. 

But Gohan had begged and pleaded this year, and how could she possibly say no when he worked so hard and asked for so little? She just wanted to relish in the years of youthful innocence he still had left, while the magic of Christmas still lit up his eyes.

And so she drove them all the way to West City, to the biggest and best Macy’s that she could find. 

Her son couldn’t believe his eyes—the frosted windows, the ribbons and bells and baubles hung throughout the store, the Christmas trees that towered forty feet high with little motorized trains circling the base. 

Gohan practically bounced all the way through, pressing every button to make the animatronics move and the carolers sing his favorite songs, bubbling over with gasps of wonder and awe all the way until they reached the door to bring them to the man himself. 

A tall green elf opened the door, a sour expression on his face. Her son caught sight of the jolly red man just through the archway and turned into a puddle of nerves—just as he did every time upon seeing Santa—looking everywhere before finally settling on the pointy-eared figure holding open the door. “H-h-hi, I’m G-gohan,” he stuttered out. 

The elf sighed, tilting his head in the direction of Santa. “C’mon, kid.” He stood frozen in place, still quivering slightly with no sign of movement to be found. The employee sighed again, muttering something about how he didn’t have time for this before sweeping the boy off his feet and crossing the room to deposit him in Santa’s lap, Gohan squeaking in surprise. 

Chi-Chi stood in stunned silence. How dare he manhandle her baby like that—he was just a little shy! And meeting Santa was supposed to be one of the most joyful parts of the Christmas season, could he not handle a few seconds of patience to make a child happy? What was he doing in this kind of job anyway if he hated kids? She was already storming towards the door, ready to give him a piece of her mind when it slammed shut, cutting her off from her target. 

All ready to holler at the door until she could smack some sense into that wretch, a delighted giggle caught her off guard, her son and Santa merrily laughing over whatever gift he had just asked for. Calm, be calm, she reminded herself. This trip was about Gohan, and right now her priority was to be there for him. Smile back in place, she turned back to snap some memories and share in her son’s spirit as they headed out, him babbling the whole trip home about Santa and elves and the North Pole and how he couldn’t wait for Christmas.

❄️

**The Second Time**

After how excited Gohan had been the year before, it really shouldn’t have come as a surprise that he begged and pleaded to go back because _please Mom, it was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen and I want to see Santa so bad and haven’t I done all my homework this year, I’ve been so good, can’t we go?_ Chi-Chi loving her son like she did, she was quick to say yes, of course, and leave Goku to work the farm as they began the long drive to West City. 

The trip was quickly becoming a pattern, bringing Gohan to ooh and ah over the brightly decorated windows and ornaments and stare up at the towering tree before making their way to Santa’s Village. 

And what, or rather _who,_ did she find waiting at the end of walk through the holiday scene than that good for nothing elf. 

Two families stood in front of them in line, and the elf rolled his eyes as he let the first in, screaming toddler in tow. 

Oooh, he just made her blood _boil_ when he acted like that. Marching right up, she jabbed a finger into his chest as she hissed, “Why do you even work here when you hate children so much?”

He seemed surprised—and slightly entertained, to her growing aggravation—that she had confronted him. He didn’t say anything, just opened the door for the next family to enter. “Hey! I was talking to you!” she snapped, as he stayed silent, just contemplating her with an amused expression.

His expression didn’t change as he retorted, “Lady, I work customer service. I’ve seen things that are way scarier than you. Now Merry Christmas, and I hope you enjoy meeting Santa.” The door swung open, Gohan squeezing past her to pounce on Santa’s lap. She huffed, trailing after him as she stepped around the elf. 

The door swung nearly shut behind her, and she was surprised to hear a low voice call out to her through the crack, “But if you really must know, dressing up as an elf is some of the only steady work a Namekian can get around here.”

She came to a standstill. A Namekian? She had never even met one before, she had just assumed he was a human with face paint and prosthetic ears. And what he had said about it being the only work he could find… _well,_ she thought bitterly, _she and Goku knew enough about money issues to understand that._

She had a lot to think about on the ride home. 

❄️

**The Third Time**

When Gohan is nine Goku is lucky enough to get an early harvest in on the second crops he had planted in late summer and has enough time before the holiday markets to come with them to see Santa. Their son is bouncing on his lap in the front seat the whole ride and one half of her is yelling _safety first!_ while the other half is reveling in the joy on both their faces: her husband and her son have so little time to just relax together, so caught up with their studies and tilling the fields that any free time was spent practicing martial arts. 

Gohan still loves going, but his childish delight is starting to fade, and Chi-Chi wants to hold onto the years she still has left for him to still believe in Santa. Goku, however, couldn’t be more in awe of the decorations and lights as if he was seeing Christmas for the very first time. Sometimes she wishes she had the same passion for life that he does. But she has that passion for her family, and for her that is more than enough.

The line wraps around the corner of the display this year—they must have come at a busy time—but once her line of sight reaches the door she sees that yes, he’s still there. She’s only ever seen him twice, spoken to him once, but after his parting comment to her last year… she feels like she knows this Namekian.

As it turns out, she wasn’t the only one. 

“Piccolo!” her husband called out in excitement, jogging his way to the front of the line in excitement before chattering away at the man who was _very_ clearly shocked to see him there. 

She took Gohan’s hand and pulled him along as well, to rejoin her husband. When the elf spotted her, his eyes opened even wider and if he’d had any, his eyebrows would have shot into his little red tasseled hat.

“This is your husband?” the Namekian—well, now she knows his name is Piccolo, and is it weird to feel like you understand someone without even knowing their name?—grunted, surprise evident in his tone. 

Goku butted in, “Piccolo and I fight sometimes, he’s the only one that can almost beat me!” Teeth grinded in aggravation next to him, but Goku continued unaware, “He’s a great martial artist! I didn’t know ya lived in West City, Piccolo, we should definitely practice together sometime. We live by Mt. Paozu so it’s a little far, but it’s not that bad!”

Piccolo gave a noncommittal grunt, but there was a flash of something in his eyes that betrayed his interest. “Anyway, you’re up,” he responded, Goku whooping in joy as he pulled Gohan inside. Chi-Chi paused, something holding her back. 

“You know… I’m sure if you’re as good of a martial artist as Goku says, I know some people who would be willing to train with you if you ran your own business.”

He gave a little snort, but his eyes followed her as she passed through the archway. 

❄️

**The Fourth Time**

Luck somehow struck twice, and so next year the small family again found themselves all together at the front of the line. Gohan’s interest in the North Pole had continued to wane but any time spent with his father was time to treasure and so he was thrilled with every minute they explored and ate chocolate and finally, ended at Santa’s Village. 

Once more Goku was at the front of the line in no time flat, waving hi to Piccolo and immediately embarking on a one-sided conversation. By the time they make it up to rejoin him at the front, the exasperation was visible on Piccolo’s face as he continued to dodge Goku’s demands to know why Piccolo hadn’t joined him in any training sessions when Goku _knew_ there was a tournament coming up that his opponent was planning on entering while Gohan hung onto every word coming from Mr. Piccolo.

On an impulse, she interrupted her husband, “What are you doing for Christmas? Are you going to see family?”

He stayed still for a second too long, and she was sure anyone less stoic would be shuffling their feet by this point. “I’m working here until noon, and then I’m going to go home.”

That sounded like another evasion. “By yourself?”

“Yes.” His eyes were focused on some point off into the distance, decidedly not looking at her. 

“...Do you want to come to our house for Christmas?” Stupid, stupid, he clearly didn’t want to spend the holidays with them, but it was just so hard to stomach the idea of him spending a holiday alone, no wonder he was so bitter.

“Yeah we would love to have ya! Piccolo, ya gotta come!” Goku added, practically bouncing with excitement.

They stood in silence for a few seconds. “...Okay.” 

Chi-Chi looked up in surprise. He had said yes? “G-Great. Do you need a ride? We have a friend from West City coming this year who could probably pick you up.” Piccolo nodded and soon she was punching Bulma’s number into his phone and saying their goodbyes as they stepped in to see Santa. 

❄️

Christmas was always a frenzy at the Son home, with Chi-Chi furiously preparing dishes in the days leading up and arranging the house just so. It was one of the most important days of the year that she got to see her family and friends, and she wanted every detail of it to be perfect for them. 

Still, she couldn’t quite believe it when Bulma burst in the door with her normal flamboyance—despite the grump of a husband she brought in tow—and behind her came Piccolo, stooping to slip through her doorway.

Dinner was a rush of energy, her father and husband and son and friends all chowing down and laughing and swapping stories. He looked out-of-place, but he seemed _happy,_ and when he thanked them for having him she can tell that underneath the terse tone, he genuinely meant it. 

Goku invited him back almost every week after that, whether to help him work the fields with a hearty reward of whatever produce they had on hand, or to spend the day honing their techniques in the wide expanse of the fields at the base of Mt. Paozu. Soon enough, Piccolo becomes a part of their family.

❄️

**The Fifth Time**

She almost didn’t go that year. 

Every day, no, every _second_ of every day was a struggle. A struggle to keep her family afloat, to raise her sons, to hold herself together when all she wanted to do was fall apart. But she had an eleven-year-old who'd been forced to become the man of the house, and a baby on her hip. They’d visited Santa at one place or another every year since Gohan had been born, and she couldn’t stop now, couldn’t take that away from Goten before he’d even started to experience the world. 

The familiar tradition brought back a little light in her son’s eyes though. He pointed out everything to Goten, making sure they visited all the favorite spots and share all the minutiae he’d learned about Christmas both around the world and in their little Macy’s over the years. Goten might not have known what he was saying, might not remember this night in the future, but he would always know that he is loved. 

A whirlwind of memories and moments whipped by Chi-Chi as they made every pit stop, every detour on their way to Santa’s Village and she knew she was delaying the inevitable. She’d had to explain too many times to too many people. How can she tell this Namekian too? How does she describe why his invitations to their house suddenly stopped? Why he hadn’t seen Goku at the most recent tournaments? 

She was tired, oh so tired, too tired for this and too tired for all of it, but it was Goten’s first Christmas and she was going to make damn sure he met Santa. 

Is she hoping that he’s there? Or is she hoping that he isn’t? Will this finally be the year that he has enough stability to leave a job he hates?

And as they stepped around the bend he was at the end of the line, just like he had been for the past five years. Tall and strong. Abrasive but a good man. Relief—she didn’t know that was what she would feel when she saw that at least this small part of her world hadn’t changed, when everything else around her had. 

He visibly perked up when he spotted them, before his brow creased as he noticed the person missing. Her steps are measured as they approach, each pace becoming a mile, anything to stretch out the inevitable. 

And then she was there looking up at him. 

“Where’s your husband?” His tone was more careful than usual, less of his typical coarseness. 

She considered herself a strong woman, but at his words she burst into tears, Gohan wrapping his arms around her leg and it was all coming out—she had a dead husband, and medical debt, and most importantly a newborn that was going to grow up without his father.

“Hea-heart virus. Just before Goten was b-born,” she managed to choke out.

He set his hand on her shoulder and his other arm wrapped around Gohan but didn’t say anything, and he didn’t have to because she knew that words weren’t his strong suit, it was actions and deeds and his touch alone communicated the depth of his sorrow.

Throughout the rest of their time there, he paid careful attention to them. Abandoning his post at the front of the line to take photo after photo of them, to hold Goten so she can pick up the broken pieces of herself, to ask Gohan about everything he wants for Christmas and how his studies are going. 

When they finally leave his eyes continued to follow them out the door as they had before, the red-eyed gaze holding new meaning.

❄️

Less than a month later, a knock on the door caught Chi-Chi’s attention. She wasn’t sure what she expected—perhaps her father making a surprise visit, as he had many times in the past weeks?

What she certainly _didn’t_ expect was Piccolo, a large duffel slung over his shoulder and hands shoved into his pockets. 

“...Hey.”

“Hey.” He looked unsure, an emotion she had never seen on him before. “I thought about what you said about starting a martial arts studio years ago. I just wanted to come by to tell you I’m going to open it in the area, so if you ever need any help with anything, I’m here.”

She nodded mutely, each staring at the other for another beat. “Well—find me if you need me,” he added, starting back down the path away from her house.

“Wait!” she called after him, heart telling her _don’t let him go don’t let him go don’t let him go_. “Where are you staying?”

His shoulders tensed, “I haven’t figured that out yet. But I’m used to roughing it.”

A moment’s hesitation. “Would you like to stay with us? You would pay rent, but it would probably be cheaper than anywhere else and nicer than sleeping outside.” She added, “And I’m a good cook?”

His eyes never left hers during her speech, and without even contemplating he gave a curt nod, and stepped across the threshold. 

❄️

**And The Time They Didn’t**

Heavy snowstorms kept them at home, but they didn’t mind. When you had an ex-elf impersonator living with you, they could bring the Christmas spirit into the house without even trying. 

A roaring fire kept them warm as they put the finishing touches on the tree Piccolo and Gohan had chopped down, already resplendent with lights. Christmas music filled the air, and there were definitely far fewer cookies on the tray than had started there at the beginning of the evening. The night slowly wound to a close, and when Gohan’s bedtime drew near he announced he had one more decoration to hang. 

“That’s mistletoe,” Gohan said, pointing at the greenery hanging over the fireplace, “and when two people stand under it, they have to kiss.” He scampered off to bed while Chi-Chi was still appreciating his determination, and his ingenuity.

They settled on the couch, his arm coming up automatically to wrap around her shoulders and she snuggled against his chest, legs tucked across his lap.

He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, leaning to whisper in her eat, “If you had told me six years ago, that one day I’d be living with a beautiful spitfire of a woman, helping her decorate for Christmas, I wouldn’t have believed it.” He dropped another kiss, this one to her temple. “There is nothing more I could want for right now.” Her head tilted up, hands around his neck pulling him down towards her—

A cry came from the nursery, Chi-Chi internally cursing her children’s incredibly strong lungs as she started to get up off his lap to comfort Goten. 

Piccolo’s hand pressed back down on her shoulders. “Stay and rest. You’ve been busy enough.” 

He was right—she _was_ exhausted. So she stayed there on the couch, marveling at the sight of his retreating form through the open doorway. In seconds he had calmed Goten down, rocking the toddler gently against himself while the boy drifted back off to sleep. He continued to gently shush him, smoothing his hair out of his face and holding him tighter as he carried on rocking.

Her children wouldn’t grow up with their biological father. 

But they would grow up with _a_ father.

❄️


End file.
